stroke / cerebral ischemia

31 papers

Research evidence summary

Q: Does molecular hydrogen help with stroke / cerebral ischemia?

A: Of 31 peer-reviewed papers, 17 reported a positive effect (the most common), 2 limited/mixed, 0 negative, 12 not assessed. Study mix: 8 human (4 RCT), 13 animal/basic, 10 meta-analysis or synthesis. The most studied delivery route is inhalation. The above aggregates published research and does not constitute a clinically established conclusion. See the individual paper pages for details and Safety notes for inhalation safety. (last updated 2026-05-15)

Evidence breakdown
Human	8	of which RCT	4
Animal/basic	13	Synthesis/meta	10
Reported effect	positive 17 ・ limited/mixed 2 ・ negative 0 ・ not assessed 12

Read the safety notes →

Delivery-method distribution

inhalation: 10 hydrogen-rich water: 8 mixed routes: 7 injection / infusion: 4 not specified: 2

Hydrogen gas inhalation alleviated cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by regulating mitophagy in SH-SY5Y cells and mice via PTEN-induced kinase 1/Parkin pathway.
2026 ・ J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis ・ PMID 42049119

inhalation positive animal study
Magnesium silicate nanosheets enable sustained hydrogen release to attenuate secondary brain injury following intracerebral hemorrhage.
2026 ・ J Transl Med ・ PMID 41654898

mixed routes positive animal study
Molecular hydrogen-rhodiola as an adjuvant therapy for ischemic stroke in internal carotid artery occlusion: A case report.
2025 ・ Open Med (Wars) ・ PMID 41141928

hydrogen-rich water positive human case report
Optimized dose of hydrogen-enriched water with minocycline combination therapy in experimental ischemic stroke.
2025 ・ Brain Res ・ PMID 40935311

hydrogen-rich water positive animal study
Aging, vascular dysfunction, and the blood-brain barrier: unveiling the pathophysiology of stroke in older adults.
2025 ・ Biogerontology ・ PMID 40044939

hydrogen-rich water not assessed review
Molecular Hydrogen Therapy in Aneurysmal SAH With RA and Newly-diagnosed SLE, Complicated With Acute Ischemic Infarction: A Case Report of Improved Immune Markers Including Tr1 Cells, Breg Cells and TIM3 Expression on Tc Cells.
2024 ・ In Vivo ・ PMID 39477420

hydrogen-rich water positive human case report
Combination of Hydrogen Inhalation and Hypothermic Temperature Control After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Post hoc Analysis of the Efficacy of Inhaled Hydrogen on Neurologic Outcome Following Brain Ischemia During PostCardiac Arrest Care II Trial.
2024 ・ Crit Care Med ・ PMID 39133068

inhalation mixed human randomized controlled trial
The Protective Role of Molecular Hydrogen in Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury.
2024 ・ Int J Mol Sci ・ PMID 39063126

mixed routes not assessed review
Molecular Hydrogen: Emerging Treatment for Stroke Management.
2023 ・ Chem Res Toxicol ・ PMID 37988743

mixed routes not assessed review
Efficacy of inhaled hydrogen on neurological outcome following brain ischaemia during post-cardiac arrest care (HYBRID II): a multi-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
2023 ・ EClinicalMedicine ・ PMID 36969346

inhalation mixed human randomized controlled trial
Molecular Hydrogen: an Emerging Therapeutic Medical Gas for Brain Disorders.
2023 ・ Mol Neurobiol ・ PMID 36567361

mixed routes not assessed review
Molecular Hydrogen Mediates Neurorestorative Effects After Stroke in Diabetic Rats: the TLR4/NF-κB Inflammatory Pathway.
2023 ・ J Neuroimmune Pharmacol ・ PMID 35895245

inhalation positive animal study
Pharmacokinetics of hydrogen administered intraperitoneally as hydrogen-rich saline and its effect on ischemic neuronal cell death in the brain in gerbils.
2022 ・ PLoS One ・ PMID 36574398

injection / infusion positive animal study
Molecular Hydrogen Neuroprotection in Post-Ischemic Neurodegeneration in the Form of Alzheimer's Disease Proteinopathy: Underlying Mechanisms and Potential for Clinical Implementation-Fantasy or Reality?
2022 ・ Int J Mol Sci ・ PMID 35743035

mixed routes not assessed review
Inhaled gases as novel neuroprotective therapies in the postcardiac arrest period.
2021 ・ Curr Opin Crit Care ・ PMID 33769417

inhalation not assessed review
Molecular Hydrogen Application in Stroke: Bench to Bedside.
2021 ・ Curr Pharm Des ・ PMID 32940172

mixed routes not assessed review
Longitudinal multiparametric MRI study of hydrogen-enriched water with minocycline combination therapy in experimental ischemic stroke in rats.
2020 ・ Brain Res ・ PMID 32919984

hydrogen-rich water positive animal study
Hydrogen gas inhalation improves delayed brain injury by alleviating early brain injury after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage.
2020 ・ Sci Rep ・ PMID 32704088

inhalation positive animal study
Efficacy of inhaled HYdrogen on neurological outcome following BRain Ischemia During post-cardiac arrest care (HYBRID II trial): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
2017 ・ Trials ・ PMID 29058596

inhalation not assessed human randomized controlled trial
Hydrogen Gas Inhalation Treatment in Acute Cerebral Infarction: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Study on Safety and Neuroprotection.
2017 ・ J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis ・ PMID 28669654

inhalation positive human randomized controlled trial
Molecular Hydrogen as a Neuroprotective Agent.
2017 ・ Curr Neuropharmacol ・ PMID 27281176

mixed routes not assessed review
Molecular hydrogen: a therapeutic antioxidant and beyond.
2016 ・ Med Gas Res ・ PMID 28217294

not specified not assessed review
Neuroprotective Effect of Hydrogen-Rich Saline in Global Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Rats: Up-Regulated Tregs and Down-Regulated miR-21, miR-210 and NF-κB Expression.
2016 ・ Neurochem Res ・ PMID 27386874

injection / infusion positive animal study
Hydrogen improves neurological function through attenuation of blood-brain barrier disruption in spontaneously hypertensive stroke-prone rats.
2015 ・ BMC Neurosci ・ PMID 25925889

hydrogen-rich water positive animal study
Hydrogen-rich water protects against ischemic brain injury in rats by regulating calcium buffering proteins.
2015 ・ Brain Res ・ PMID 25920370

hydrogen-rich water positive animal study